Playing-ball.



N0. 7ll,530. Patented 00f. 2|, I902.

F. H. RICHARDS.

PLAYING BALL.

(Application filed July 30, 1902.)

(N 0 M 0 d e I ll z'zasaea: I Imwezioe: I

I /Y Q I 1 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSHALLMANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PLAYING-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,530, dated. October21, 1902.

Application filed July so, 1902.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State. of

accurately and also to increase the flight of the ball.

The figure of drawing forming part of this specification shows, partlyin section, a golfball made in accordance with my improvements.

For the shell A of the ball I preferably use compressed gutta-percha,which. preferably holds the filling in a'state of high compression. Atthe center of the ball I use a bullet B, of lead, iron, or other heavymaterial, said bullet preferably being solid. The shell A and bullet Bmake, preferably, the greater part of the weight of the ball, the bulletB being preferably heavier than the entire shell A, gutta-percha being avery light material. The filling C of the ball I make in the form of alight structure of any suitable form and material, such as paper orcork, preferably the latter and preferably compressed. This material Cis preferably of less specific gravity than the shell A.

Between the filling C and the central bullet B, I prefer to apply a thinlayer D, of soft rubber, which is held under compression by the shells Aand C and is highly active when the ball is given a blow, the inertia ofthe bulletB when the ball is struck tending to compress the rubber onthe side of the bullet next to the club and to cause it to flow aroundthe bullet and accumulate on the opposite side, thus greatly distortingthe rubber, and the reaction of the rubber aids greatly in the flight ofthe ball, the relative arrangement of the parts being such that itremains longer in contact with the club than is usually the Serial No.117,611. (No model.)

case, whereby greater momentum is imparted-to the ball and the flightthereof is prolonged. It will be understood also that by having the ballweighted at its center it is less liable to erratic flight because ofthe rotation of the ball, since by having so much weight at the centerthe power or strength of rotation is diminished. For this reason theball flies true and puts straight, and hence meets one of the importantrequirements of the game of golf.

.Various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of myimprovements.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. A ball comprising a shell ofgutta-percha, a small central bullet of heavy material, said bulletweighing more than said shell, and an intervening structure or layer ofmaterial lighter than said shell.

2. A playing-ball comprising concentric spheres of metal, rubber,compressed cork and gutta-percha.

3. A playing-ball comprising a heavy small center piece, a gutta-perchashell, a sphere Within said shell of light material, and a layer of softrubber between said center piece and said sphere.

4. A playing ball comprising a shell of gutta-percha, a sphere of corkwithin said shell, a lining of soft rubber within said sphere and ametal bullet within said soft rubber.

5. A ball comprising a shell of gutta-percha, a small central bullet ofheavy material, said bullet weighing more than said shell; and anintervening structure or layer of material lighter than said shell; thelatter holding said intervening layer under compression.

6. A playing ball comprising a central sphere of metal, concentricrubber and compressed-cork spheres thereon, and a guttapercha shell orcover. r I

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

B. O. STIGKNEY,

JOHN O. SEIFERT.

